1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to sport fishing and, in particular, to a fishing pole holder that is adaptable for mounting on a gunwale or transom of a fishing boat.
2. Background Art
The sport of recreational fishing includes fly fishing or surf fishing, conducted along a shoreline, and off-shore fishing including trolling or stationary fishing using a fishing boat depending upon the preferences of the fisherman. It would be desirable if equipment used for recreational fishing would be sufficiently versatile to permit use of the equipment for both types of sport fishing. Improved portability and reduced storage space for the equipment are additional desirable features.
Known designs in the prior art relating to sport fishing include fishing pole holders that can be mounted on a stationary structure, such as the transom or gunwale of a fishing boat. These fishing pole holders are capable of holding a fishing pole and will permit the pole to be used independently of the fishing pole holder if the fisherman desires to engage in fly fishing or on-shore surf fishing. Such known fishing pole holders, however, are heavy and are of complex construction. Furthermore, they are not adaptable for easy storage when not in use.
A holder for a single fishing pole is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,897,922. It comprises a clamping device for securing the fishing pole holder to a vertical member, such as a boat side wall or to the deck of a boat. Clamping members anchoring one end of a fishing pole are locked in place by a complex locking mechanism, including a handle. Adjustment of the fishing pole, after it is locked in place by the handle, can be effected in a vertical plane using an arcuate clamp mechanism.
A surf fishing pole holder is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,650,146, which includes a complex adjustment bracket assembly for changing the angularity of one pole with respect to the other. The fishing poles are secured to a mounting post that can be anchored to the ground. A fishing pole holder of this type is not adaptable for trolling or other off-shore fishing.
Another example of a fishing pole holder capable of supporting a single fishing pole with a single plane of adjustment is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,513,475.
Unlike the previously mentioned prior art designs, the design of U.S. Pat. No. 5,131,179 is designed to hold two fishing poles simultaneously, but it is restricted in its application to on-shore surf fishing. The dual fishing pole holder of the '179 patent, which is anchored when in use to a fish bucket, is not adaptable for off-shore trolling. Neither does it include universal adjustment features for adjusting the fishing poles in multiple planes and for achieving desired separation of the poles to prevent tangles of the fishing lines.